Dive into the complete episode list for The Cordial Catholic. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
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Pub. Date
Title
Duration
16 Feb 2022
147: Falling in Love with Christ in Catholicism (w/ Kathryn Whitaker)
01:11:23
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Catholic convert, speaker, author, and evangelist Kathryn Whitaker to talk about falling deeper in love with Christ in the Catholic Church.
From her early days, roaming throughout different non-Catholic Christian churches to her decision to become Catholic – her radical attraction to a deepening relationship with Christ – her journey is a fantastic one, and she tells a great story!
We talk about the sacraments, how to evangelize as a Catholic, how to handle scandal in the Church and keep your faith, and the role of learning and leaning into your faith as you go.
Kathryn is a wonderfully open, honest, and engaging guest!
To learn more about Kathryn visit her website where you can find links to her book, talks, and her social media accounts. Be sure to follow her on Instagram for some seriously great content.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
148: Did Constantine Corrupt the Church? (w/ Joe Heschmeyer)
01:23:17
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Catholic Answers apologist Joe Heschmeyer to talk about the Early Church – was the original, pristine Christian Church corrupted by Constantine? Did the Roman Emperor "romanize" the Christians?
Joe and I dig into this premise and look at the earliest evidence of how Christians lived, worshipped, and what they believed to see what the Early Church looked like and if it really did, indeed, change when Constantine became Christian. We look at the first 200 years of Christianity and compare it to modern day Catholicism and Evangelical Protestantism to see which looks most like the evidence. It's a fantastic conversation.
For more from Joe, check out his previous appearances on this show. In Episode 83, Joe joins me to talk about the papacy.
Joe also joined me, Austin Suggs from Gospel Simplicity, and baptist pastor Dr. Gavin Ortlund from Truth Unites for a discussion about the Early Church (Episode 92) and the Papacy (Episode 98).
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
149: A Protestant Bible Scholar Meets a Catholic One (w/ Dr. John Bergsma and Dr. Michael Dauphinais)
01:15:55
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Dr. John Bergsma from the Franciscan University of Steubenville and Dr. Michael Dauphinais from Ave Maria University to talk about their experiences crossing paths as John, a former Protestant pastor and Bible scholar, was on his way into the Catholic Church.
What a fun discussion!
John and Michael will share about their encounter, their conversations, their wrestling together with theology of Mary, Sola Scriptura and Sola Fide, the Eucharist, apostolic succession, and more!
It's the start of a bad joke, what happens when a Protestant Bible scholar and a Catholic Bible scholar walk into a cafeteria – but it's a wonderful story, too!
To listen to Dr. Bergsma's full conversion story listen to Episode 67. Dr. Dauphinais has previously appeared on the show in Episode 124.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
150: Irenaeus - Catholic or Evangelical? (w/ Dr. Matthew J. Thomas)
01:10:02
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Dr. Matthew J. Thomas to talk about this vitally important Early Church Father and the newest Doctor of the Church: St. Irenaeus and unpack his theology, his writings, and what he can teach us about the faith? And, we tackle the question, what does Irenaeus sound more like: Catholic or Evangelical?
We discuss some of the issues in the Early Church: unity, baptism, the Eucharist, and apostolic succession.
It's a wonderful deep-diving conversation with a great friend. I hope you love it!
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests!
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast we talk about how my journey from being a non-denominational Christian into the Catholic Church began when a pastor friend of mine asked me a probing question about Scripture and Tradition.
Which is more important, Scripture or Tradition?
The question led me to uncover the roots of the New Testament canon and the authority of the Early Church which put it all together – an Early Church which looked, and sounded, very Catholic.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
And for more information about sponsoring the show please visit the Patreon page. It only takes 12 people donating $1/mo to make this podcast sustainable.
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast we talk about the nature of the Christian Church. Did Jesus intend it to be an invisible collection of believers? Is this how the Early Church understood itself? Is this how the whole of the Christian Church understood itself to be for the first 1,500 years of church history?
Spoiler alert: the answer is, no. Instead, I argue, the Church always thought of itself as visible, singular, and united in a hierarchical structure until the Protestant Reformation.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
And for more information about sponsoring the show please visit the Patreon page. It only takes 12 people donating $1/mo to make this podcast sustainable.
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
151: The Mind-Blowing Sacramental Worldview (w/ Fr. Harrison Ayre)
01:10:16
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Father Harrison Ayre to talk about the Sacramental Worldview at the centre of Catholicism.
To the Catholic, our view of the world, our faith, and everything God created is through the lens of the Sacraments – through Christ himself – and, this week, Fr. Harrison is here to talk all about it: the mind-blowing reality of what it means to live "in Christ" through a sacramental worldview.
This is an episode I've wanted to produce for a long time on a topic that I know will be of interest to lots of people looking to learn more about Catholicism and I'm so thrilled to be able to bring Fr. Harrison on to help walk us through this particular topic.
To check out Fr. Harrison's fantastic book visit the Pauline Books and Media Store and support the Pauline Sisters. You won't regret purchasing this book – even just to look at it!
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests!
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
152: The Most Incredible Conversion Story Ever (w/ John Edwards)
01:27:56
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by podcaster, writer, and speaker John Edwards to share what I think is the most incredible conversion story ever.
John breaks the record previously held by the wonderful Tsh Oxenreider as he speaks for a full hour unpacking his whirlwind conversion story: through a crippling drug addiction, successes and failures, ups and downs, and an incredible return to the Catholic Church through the grace of vulnerability and the sacraments John's story is absolutely breath-taking. I can promise you'll be on the edge of your seat throughout; and once you start, you won't be able to hit pause!
For more from John check out the Just A Guy in the Pew Podcast and his website for links to book him to speak and for more information about the resources he's creating through his ministry.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests!
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
153: Grace, Prudence, and Living the Virtues (w/ Fr. Gregory Pine, OP)
01:08:31
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by the inestimable Father Gregory Pine, OP to talk about grace, prudence, and how to live out the virtues in our Catholic faith lives. We talk about exactly how grace infuses our lives and helps us to live more virtuously, the role of prudence in the life of a Catholic, how to make decisions in God's will (and how to understand God's will to begin with!) and the role of the virtues in a Christ-centred life.
Plus, lots of Fr. Gregory's incredibly dry wit – I love it, and I think you will too.
Check out Our Sunday Visitor for more information about Fr. Gregory's aptly titled book, Prudence.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests!
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
154: Following the Evidence into the Catholic Church (w/ Christian B. Wagner)
01:24:15
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Catholic convert Christian B. Wagner, the Militant Thomist, to share the story of his incredible journey into Catholicism. From an upbringing as a Baptist, Christian was exposed to the Early Church Fathers through some of the Reformed theologians he began reading in college. His exploration of Early Christianity led him to ask questions about ecclesiology which led him to explore the Anglican Church and, eventually, through exposure to St. Thomas Aquinas and St. John Henry Newman, Christian is making his way into full communion with the Catholic Church at Easter 2022.
It's an incredible story!
For more from Christian, follow him on Twitter at The Militant Thomist and check out all of his links, media, and appearances here.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests!
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
155: The Jewish Catholic's Journey into the Church (w/ Daniel Suazo)
01:06:07
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by The Jewish Catholic, Daniel Suazo, to unpack the absolutely incredible story that's led to his decision to become Catholic, this Easter 2022.
Daniel was raised Protestant, from a Jewish background, and began exploring his heritage after asking some difficult questions about his Protestant beliefs. After discovering the Messianic Judaism movement Daniel thought he'd finally found a faith home only to begin asking even more challenging questions and, eventually, deciding to delve into Orthodox Judaism. From there, the quest for answers didn't stop until he began to see the logic, the beautiful typological and the fulfillment of the Old Testament covenant so perfectly in the Catholic Church.
It's an incredible story. And, sure, maybe you've heard before that the Old Covenant is fulfilled in the New – you certainly haven't heard it lived out, in Daniel's experience, like this. What an incredible witness to the Catholic faith!
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests!
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast we tackle six of the myths that pop up every year about Easter.
Is the origin of Easter pagan? Does the name come from a Mesopotamian or Anglo-Saxon goddess of fertility? Are Easter eggs a symbol of spring and fertility? And, more seriously, what about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus? Can the history of this narrative be trusted?
For more, including the resources used in this episode, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
And for more information about sponsoring the show please visit the Patreon page. It only takes 12 people donating $1/mo to make this podcast sustainable.
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
004: Why Do Evangelicals Become Catholic? (w/ Dr. Doug Beaumont)
00:50:51
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast I talk to Dr. Douglas Beaumont, author of Evangelical Exodus, about how and why evangelicals become Catholic.
We touch on the idea of paradigm shifts, proof-texting from the Church Fathers, and Flat Earth Theory. It's a great episode.
For more from Dr. Beaumont visit his website, where you can also buy his book. I highly recommend it.
We also talk about Rome Sweet Home by Scott and Kimberly Hahn, a wonderful and highly influential account of their conversion to the Catholic Church.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
And for more information about sponsoring the show please visit the Patreon page. It only takes 12 people donating $1/mo to make this podcast sustainable.
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
156: Marriage, Family, Discipleship, and the Diaconate (w/ Jason Bulman)
01:11:42
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Jason Bulman, a father, candidate for the diaconate, and one of the "stars" of the Word on Fire show Meet the Bulman's where Jason and his wife Rachel, a previous guest on our show, open their home and their lives up for viewers to see a picture of a Catholic family, living and loving their faith.
In this episode Jason and I talk about his vocation of marriage, family, how to evangelize and create disciples for Christ, and what his calling to the permanent diaconate means. This is such a wonderful conversation!
Also, be sure to check out Episode 145 where Jason's wife, Rachel Bulman, shares her incredible conversion story and how her and Jason met.
And to see more from Jason check out Meet the Bulman's from Word on Fire.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests!
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
157: Tackling Objections to the Papacy (w/ Suan Sonna)
01:19:13
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by returning guest Suan Sonna from Intellectual Conservatism to talk to us about the papacy, and the pope.
Suan is making major waves these days strongly defending the papacy and he's here today to tackle some of the most popular (and difficult) objections that you've probably heard to the idea of the pope.
Where is the papacy in Scripture? Shouldn't it be obviously found? Isn't attempts to find the papacy foreshadowed in the Old Testament just "typology gone wild"? And what about the outrageous claims the Catholic Church made at Vatican I?
Is the papacy really Biblical?!
These questions and more tackled, this week, by one of the foremost scholars working on the papacy today.
For even more from Suan check out his YouTube channel Intellectual Conservatism and his podcast by the same name (everywhere podcasts are found).
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests!
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
158: Purgatory for Evangelicals (w/ Dr. Brett Salkeld)
01:10:27
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined once again by Dr. Brett Salkeld, theologian for the Catholic Archdiocese of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada and host of the Thinking Faith podcast to talk about purgatory.
What exactly is purgatory? Why does it make sense? Where can we find it in the Bible? In Church history? Isn't it just a medieval invention? Didn't it go completely sideways and caused the Protestant Reformation?
All of these burning questions, and more, this week as Dr. Salkeld takes us on a deep dive into the roots and reasons for purgatory, specifically through an Evangelical Christian lens.
For more from Dr. Salkeld, check out our previous episode, Episode 143, on Transubstantiation and the Eucharist and follow him on Twitter.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests!
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
A short announcement to let you know that this show will be on a short hiatus until May 25, 2022 as our family gets our house ready to sell!
We'll be back with an all-new episode on May 25 and, in the meantime, we'd appreciate all of your prayers for the smooth sale of our house and for the sanity of our family as we try to navigate it all with young kids, a dog, and a cat! Oh my!
St. Joseph, pray for us!
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests!
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
005: The Problem With Sola Scriptura (w/ Ken Hensley)
00:58:15
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast I talk to Ken Hensley, a former Baptist pastor and an adjunct professor of Biblical studies, about the idea of Sola Scriptura – the "Bible alone" approach to Christianity.
Is the Bible what Jesus left us to help guide us in our Christian faith? Can we each read and interpret the Bible correctly for ourselves? Did the authors of the New Testament even intend their letters to be used this way? It's a fascinating discussion.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
And for more information about sponsoring the show please visit the Patreon page. It only takes 12 people donating $1/mo to make this podcast sustainable.
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
REPLAY: A Convert's Guide to the Eucharist (w/ Dr. Scott Hahn)
01:06:19
While the show is on hiatus until May 25, allow me to share one of my favourite conversations from last year: my chat with Evangelical convert to Catholicism, a biblical powerhouse, Dr. Scott Hahn.
In this episode, I'm joined by fellow Catholic convert, author, and biblical theologian Dr. Scott Hahn from the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology to talk about the Eucharist.
In this discussion, we climb the summit from an Evangelical understanding of Communion as merely symbol up to the Catholic view of the Eucharist as the Real Presence of Christ. We discuss the transformative power and incredible reality of the sacraments and how better understanding the Old and New Covenants and typology deepens our love for the faith and our ability to evangelize!
A great conversation on the Eucharist – the centre of the life of the Church – that's made to share with your non-Catholic friends!
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
159: The Apostles, Apostolic Succession, and the Early Church (w/ Rod Bennett)
01:20:33
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined once again by my good friend Catholic convert, author, and historian Rod Bennett to talk about the apostles, apostolic succession, and how the Early Church understood the role of these very first Christian leaders.
Rod always brings incredible insights into Early Christianity and this episode is no different. We dig deep into the historical understanding of the roles of the apostles, how this role was passed on, and how the Early Church grappled with filling the sandals of the leaders appointed by Christ when they died.
It's a compelling conversation!
For more from Rod Bennett, check out his numerous previous appearances in the archives of the show including conversations about Catholic Witnesses to the Early Church (Episode 141) and Were the Early Christians Catholic? (Episode 089).
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests!
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
This is a topic I've had a lot of requests to tackle on the show and I'm so pleased, and grateful, to have Shannon as a guide this week. Her insights are phenomenal and, I hope, helpful for those within the Church who want to learn more about this perspective and those who are considering converting to Catholicism and wondering – as a black person – how their identity, culture, and experience, can fit into the Catholic Church.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests!
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
161: How to Die to Yourself (w/ Father Jeffrey Kirby)
01:10:23
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Father Jeffrey Kirby, STD to talk about ascetical theology: the ancient and holy Catholic practice of dying to yourself. We dig deeply, with Fr. Kirby as our guide, into how understanding the purpose of our lives, through a knowledge of Scripture and God's plan, we can more fully and truly live out our Catholic lives and vocations.
It's a really fascinating, fun, and in-depth conversation – as it always is when Father Kirby stops by!
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
162: Problems with Protestant Christianity (w/ Keith Nester)
01:22:36
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by my good friend Keith Nester to unpack some of the problems with Protestant Christianity that drove us to convert to Catholicism.
Keith Nester is a former Protestant pastor – he spent over 20 years in ministry before converting to Catholicism. Keith is the host of the Catholic Feedback podcast, the author of a fantastic book for new converts, and has an incredibly popular YouTube channel (that I'm sure you've already heard of).
To check out Keith's book, A Convert's Guide to Roman Catholicism: Your First Year in the Church visit his website.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
Here, Steve walks us through how to talk to just about anyone about abortion: those that have had abortions, those that advocate for abortions, the passionately pro-choice, and those that haven't really thought it through. With a vast collection of pro-life evidence and arguments, Steve explains exactly how we can cordially, kindly, and in a Christ-like manner, work through some of these very important issues, on the ground, in every day life.
Abortion, says Steve, is not only a hot issue in the news and in conversations these days, but a place to really change opinions, minds, and hearts through appealing to medical science and evidence that many people who are pro-abortion simply haven't heard before.
And while this is a tough topic to talk about, Steve is absolutely the most cordial, kind, and compassionate person to be teaching us HOW to talk is through.
For more check out Steve's book from Emmaus Road Press.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
006: How to Dialogue With Non-Believers (w/ Dr. Randal Rauser)
01:01:25
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast I talk with Dr. Randal Rauser, evangelical theologian and apologist about how to dialogue with non-believers.
Do we approach atheists differently than agnostics? What about the "nones" and the "dones" – those non-believers who either used to believe or have never been exposed to religion at all.
Dr. Rauser is easily one of the most poignant and thoughtful apologists working on this topic and his insights in this episode are invaluable.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
And for more information about sponsoring the show please visit the Patreon page. It only takes 12 people donating $1/mo to make this podcast sustainable.
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
164: Bishops, Priests, and Deacons in the Early Church (w/ Joe Heschmeyer)
01:15:51
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Catholic Answers apologist extraordinaire Joe Heschmeyer to discuss the structure of the Early Church.
Was the Early Church made up of loosely affiliated groups of believers, or did the Early Church inherit a clear hierarchical structure from the apostles? The question is one of the most important ones to answer, considering it'll help to determine WHICH church Christ founded – out of many different denominations.
In this episode, Joe takes us into the earliest evidence to show exactly how we know what kind of Church Christ founded, where it is today, and why it's important to find. Plus, we talk about common objections to some of Joe's findings and where they go wrong.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
007: Debunking the Great Apostasy (w/ Rod Bennett)
01:16:26
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast I talk with author Rod Bennett on the idea of the "great apostasy."
Did the Church that Jesus founded fall away from the true faith he taught and into a "great apostasy"? Did the ancient Church become corrupt when it mixed with politics? Did pagan rituals creep in and distort the simple faith that Jesus began?
Did the church lose its way, only to be "re-discovered" by the Protestant Reformers?
Bennett argues that everyone who isn't a Catholic must have a theory like this one – that the authority given to the Catholic Church, the historical Church that Jesus founded, somehow got lost along the way.
Our discussion is absolutely fascinating as Rod Bennett takes us deep into the Church Fathers to show us how there wasn't an apostasy at all. That the authority Christ invested in the Church He established continues, uncompromised, until today.
For more from Rod Bennett please visit his Amazon author page and purchase his fine books.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
This podcast is 100% listener supported. For more information about sponsoring the show and keeping this podcast going please visit the Patreon page.
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
165: The Most Incredible Catholic Case for Atonement (w/ Dr. Margaret Turek)
01:40:13
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by the incredible, world-renown theologian Dr. Margaret Turek to provide the Catholic case for the atonement.
And, boy, is it ever incredible!
Dr. Turek lays out in beautiful depth and poetry, the whole of salvation history. Why Jesus had to come, die, and rise from the dead. Why Jesus had to die the way He did. What was the Father's role in "abandoning" Christ on the cross? And what do Catholics believe about it all.
This episode is, simply put, the very best case for how the Catholic Church understands atonement as you'll ever find – I'm sure of it! If you have questions about what Catholics believe about the crucifixion, Easter, the Passion of Christ, Good Friday, satisfaction, justification, sanctification, or grace ... this is the episode for you!
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
166: How the Early Church Read the Bible (w/ Mike Aquilina)
01:11:38
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined once again by world renown Early Church expert and author (and one of my favourite guests) Mike Aquilina. On this episode, Mike joins us to talk about how the Early Church read, understood, and used the Scriptures.
What does it mean that the primary place of Scripture was in the Liturgy? What's more important Scripture or Tradition? Could all Christians afford Bibles? Could all Christians read? What do we know about which books were accepted and which weren't and the formation of the Canon of Scripture.
These questions, and many more, as Mike takes us way back into the early days of Christianity to help us understand how they did (and we should!) read our Bibles and understand it's place in the context of our faith.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
167: An Anglican Priest Encounters Catholicism (w/ John Bacon)
01:19:55
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by former Anglican priest and Catholic convert John Bacon to talk about his conversion story – and it's an incredible one!
Ordained a priest in the Anglican Church in North America, John tells his story of encountering Catholicism through the Liturgy, the Early Church Fathers, Mary's role in exorcisms (which he encountered as a police chaplain!), and even a relationship which he struck up with another famous convert Dr. David Anders at a Jewish gym where John worked during seminary.
John's story is all about what it means to give up so much to follow Christ where he leads, bumps and all along the way, but living for the journey. I'm telling you... this journey is amazing!
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
168: When a Family Band Becomes Catholic (w/ Benjamin Wolaver)
01:16:14
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by creative artist, musician, television host Benjamin Wolaver to talk about his journey into the Catholic faith – and the journey of his entire family band!
Wolaver, who plays Benjamin Cello on the incredible television program The Wonderful World of Benjamin Cello, converted to the Catholic faith alongside his parents and siblings – all members of the incredible Annie Moses Band!
What happens when an entire family band converts to Catholicism? It's an incredible story told by a wonderful story teller.
Check out the Annie Moses Band for music, touring schedule, and more at their website.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
In this special episode of The Cordial Catholic, I share a bit about our journey relying on God, trusting Him to go before us, and the miracles that followed as we bought a house.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
REPLAY: A Charismatic Pastor Hears God's Call to Catholicism (w/ Kenny Burchard)
01:23:55
In this REPLAY episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Catholic convert Kenny Burchard. Kenny spent 33 years as an Charismatic, Evangelical Christian, more than twenty of those in full-time ministry, including planting and pastoring churches, before becoming Catholic in dramatic fashion!
In this fantastic discussion we unpack the call Kenny heard to become Catholic, what drew him in, and what questions he had about the Bible, authority, and the nature of the Church even before he decided to attend his first Catholic Mass.
This is a great conversation not only for those considering Catholicism but for those, like Kenny and his family, who honestly and earnestly are seeking after the leading of God's spirit – and are willing to follow no matter what it means, or where He leads.
For more from Kenny Burchard visit his website. Also be sure to check him out at ThinkTheology.org and you can watch a short video of his conversion story on YouTube.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
In this special episode of the show, I tell the story of the one question – asked by a pastor I was working for – that began my journey into Catholicism.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
REPLAY: Why Do Catholics Make Such a Big Deal About Mary? (w/ Fr. Mauro Gagliardi)
01:12:46
In this REPLAY episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by the incredible Father Mauro Gagliardi, STD, Catholic theologian, to talk about Mary.
Fr. Gagliardi is the author of an enormous 1,000 page book on Catholic Dogmatic Theology and, within the context of this massive work, we're talking about his chapter on Mary. It's an absolutely fascinating discussion.
We talk about Mary's role in salvation history, the importance of her "yes" to God, her role as Mother of God, and the various Marian dogmas like the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption.
It's a great talk to help underscore exactly why Catholics make such a big deal about Mary – and her role in the Catholic Church today, which is always pointing back to Christ.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
169: A Jewish Girl's Journey into Catholicism (w/ Melissa Presser)
01:11:14
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by the one and only Melissa Presser to talk about her amazing journey into Catholicism.
Raised culturally Jewish, Melissa had an incredible encounter with God which led her to become a devout practitioner of her Jewish faith. Through trauma and abuse Melissa continued to practice and deepen her faith eventually being led by the Holy Spirit into Protestant Christianity and, through some incredible encounters (including St. Edith Stein!), finally home into the Catholic Church.
Melissa's journey is great and she's a wonderful storyteller.
To find out more about Melissa and her work check out her website and make sure to read her work over on Missio Dei as well.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
170: Growing Up Catholic and Evangelical in the Same Small-ish Town (w/ Robert LeBlanc)
01:17:25
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by my good friend Robert LeBlanc, co-host of the Pints and Pews Podcast, author, and speaker – and a guy who was born in the same hometown as me! Our conversation this week revolves around that idea: what it's like to be grow up Catholic (for Robert) and Evangelical (for me) in the same small-ish town.
Robert shares some incredible stories of his own upbringing from how he inherited and experience the faith of his parents, his peers, and the Catholic Church of his time. I share some of my own thoughts and impressions of the Catholics I knew and experienced and my perspective on Catholicism as an Evangelical – a convert to the faith at age 15.
I had this idea for a conversation like this ever since Robert invited me on his podcast and we realized that we both grew up in the same small-ish town. I had no idea how the conversation would go but, as it turns out, it was amazing. I hope you enjoy it.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
171: How I Became a Media Nun (w/ Sr. Orianne Pietra René)
01:10:56
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Sister Orianne Pietra René from the Daughters of St. Paul to talk about the story of her deep conversion to Catholicism – out of a very interesting mixed-religious household – and the call to her vocation as a religious sister, living out her life in the service of Christ and the Church.
It's a fascinating look at how God calls someone to deeper and deeper conversion – like St. Paul, of course – and how to listen for and answer that call. And some really fascinating stories along the way.
So grateful to be able to talk with Sr. Orianne and I hope you enjoy this episode!
For more from the Daughters of St. Paul check out their website and find one of their bookstores around the world.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
172: An Indie Rock Musician's Catholic Intuitions (w/ Levi Sikes)
01:26:19
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Levi Sikes, the musical genius behind Former Ruins, to talk about his journey into Catholicism. What drew Levi out of his Evangelical Christian tradition, what drew him into Catholicism, and what continues to draw him in, evermore. And, as a musician, how Levi strives to bridge this gap, to explain and wrestle with his own paradigm shift, and to speak into a place of the deep faith and longing felt by others on journeys similar to his.
It's an amazing interview!
For more from Levi check out the Formers Ruins website, on Bandcamp, and everywhere streaming music is found! You won't be disappointed.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
173: A Former Protestant Pastor Unpacks the Rosary (w/ Keith Nester)
01:06:38
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by my good friend Keith Nester, a former Protestant pastor, to unpack the rosary. What exactly do we do when we're praying the rosary? How do we pray it more fruitfully and more authentically? How can we avoid the trap of "vain repetition" that Protestants often accuse Catholics of. And more.
Keith explains how the rosary is a Bible study, a sermon series, and a recounting of the life of Christ that we can enter into again and again, each time discovering new fruits from God.
Keith Nester is a former Protestant pastor – he spent over 20 years in ministry before converting to Catholicism. Keith is the host of the Catholic Feedback podcast and has an incredibly popular YouTube channel (that I'm sure you've already heard of).
To check out Keith's book, Unpacking the Mysteries of the Rosary visit his website.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
174: A Convert on Fire for the Catholic Faith (w/ Jack Morgan)
01:55:01
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Jack Morgan from the What Is Truth podcast, a non-denominational, evangelical convert to the Catholic faith who shares his journey – and his absolutely contagious excitement about being Catholic!
We talk about the Old Testament studies, the Early Church, questioning authority, Mary, the Magisterium, and how an incredibly devout, reasonable, Bible-loving, Christ-centred Christian would ever think about becoming Catholic. Jack's story is a great one – and one for the record books.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
175: The No-Crap Catholic Guide to Gender (w/ Dr. Abigail Favale)
01:07:30
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Dr. Abigail Favale, one of the foremost Catholic thinkers on the topics of gender and sexuality, to give us the straight goods on what the Catholic Church believes about gender.
We've tried our best to strip away ideology, prejudice, and commentary and dig into what we mean by gender, how it's understood by others, and what the Catholic Church presents for us to believe, and follow, as practising Catholic Christians. It's one heck of a conversation and I'm grateful to Abigail for coming (back!) on the show to have it.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
176: The Evangelical that Made Me a (Better) Catholic (w/ Mike Wilson)
01:27:10
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by YouTube sensation Mike Wilson from The Popish Plot to tell the incredible story of how an encounter with a well-meaning Evangelical Christian – and his pastor – led Mike to look deeper into his own Catholic faith, to double down on the ancient creeds, and to become serious about following the practice of his Catholic faith.
It's an amazing story which begins with a question about salvation and baptism but doesn't end there. You're going to love our conversation!
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
177: Why "Bible Alone" Christianity is Totally Broken (w/ Don Johnson)
01:14:19
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by author, filmmaker, and Catholic convert Don Johnson to talk about his experience with Sola Scriptura – "Bible alone" Christianity – and how, he finds, it's not only utterly broken but utterly breaking the larger Christian church, the witness of Christianity, and the ability of Christians to stand up for Christian beliefs with a united front.
Drawing on examples from slavery, the sexual revolution, and more, Don lays out a concrete case for the destructive nature of the principle of Sola Scriptura – and a pathway forward.
For more from Don check out his website where you can stream his films and buy his books.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
178: Responding to the Toughest Protestant Objections (w/ Karlo Broussard)
01:03:37
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by speaker, author, and accomplished Catholic Answers apologist Karlo Broussard to talk about anticipating and responding to Protestant objections to Catholic ideas. It's all about knowing the Catholic faith and how to respond under pressure – and it's a great conversation.
Karlo is a great guy and a perfect fit for the goal of this show which is to cordially explain the Catholic faith. Karlo has made a career out of building up the best arguments against the Catholic faith and, in charity, showing why they're completely wrong!
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
008: Out of Islam and Into the Catholic Church (w/ Dr. Derya Little)
01:13:55
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast, I speak with Derya Little. Derya grew up in as a Muslim in Turkey. After a life-shattering experience she became an avowed Atheist but through a series of personal encounters and a powerful mystical experience, she found her way into Christianity and ultimately into the Catholic Church.
She shares her incredible story with us, and provides some helpful context for how we can share our Catholic faith with Muslim family, friends, and colleagues.
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Morgan K. Blair, an evangelical, episcopal convert to the Catholic faith. Morgan tells her story of what happened when an author she respected and followed and then a good friend of hers became Catholic and how it catapulted her into her own journey.
Morgan explains how she met Catholics online who walked with her, how she left behind progressive Christians views for the Magisterium of the Catholic Church, and the incredible graces, blessings, and life-changing events which have followed.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
180: An Evangelical Exodus? (w/ Dr. Douglas Beaumont)
00:58:43
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by one of our favourite guests of all time, Dr. Douglas Beaumont, to talk about Evangelical Christian conversions to Catholicism. Doug is a convert himself and a former student, then instructor, at Southern Evangelical Seminary where he worked, as a graduate student, under the late Evangelical theologian Dr. Norman Geisler.
Dr. Beaumont tells the story of his own conversion – borne out of looking into the Bible's origins and authority – and the how, why's, and when's of other Evangelical Christians and their conversions to Catholicism.
Doug was the very first guest on the podcast nearly four years ago and he's always a welcome visitor – his insights in this episode, as always, are incredible.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
181: A Revert's Incredible Journey Back to the Church (w/ Eddie Trask)
01:09:42
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Eddie Trask, host of the Catholic Re.Con. YouTube channel, to discuss his incredibly intense and interesting journey back to the Catholic Church as a "revert" to the faith.
Eddie's story is a wild one with many ups and downs and a journey which led him, a baptized Catholic, into non-denominational Protestant Christianity where he and his wife – a former Seventh Day Adventist – found a spiritual home. But mixed messages from the pulpit, confusion around biblical interpretation, and Eddie's research into Early Christianity slowly began to poke holes in Eddie's Christian worldview.
When he began exploring the Catholicism of his childhood in earnest he discovered much that he never even knew. It's a fascinating story. Not to mention Eddie's incredible experience of confession after leading a double-life – it's intense!
For more from Eddie, visit his website. Also check out his YouTube channel Catholic Re.Con. for some seriously great content.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
182: The Catholic Guide to Death, Dying, and the Afterlife (w/ Dr. Randall B. Smith)
01:09:52
In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Randall B. Smith, theologian, professor, and a Catholic convert himself, to talk about the wonderfully uplifting subject of death, dying, and the afterlife.
Actually, we have a great time.
Randall has some incredible insights in these areas and draws on history, experience, and the wisdom of the Church to help shape our understanding of how to think about, talk about, and evangelize around these difficult and strange subjects. It's a great conversation about an uncomfortable topic!
Look for his book, From Here to Eternity, from Emmaus Road Publishing and available everywhere.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
009: How the Saints Can Help Us Be Holy (w/ JonMarc Grodi)
01:05:38
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast, I speak talk to JonMarc Grodi from the Coming Home Network International about the role that saints can play in the life of a Christian.
JonMarc unpacks the role of saints as examples of God's grace and holiness, how we can have real relationships with saints, and gives an incredible analogy of what worship is not. We tackle some common Protestant objections to saints to help explain the importance of their role in the Catholic faith. You don't want to skip this episode – it's fantastic!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
183: Making the Most out of Advent (w/ Mike Pacer)
01:06:22
In this episode, I'm joined by author, speaker, and all-around awesome guy Mike Pacer to talk about Advent. What is Advent? How can we best approach Advent? What are some Advent traditions, liturgies, and activities to try for single people and for families?
Mike draws on the beautiful history of his Catholic upbringing to share some incredible insights into Advent specifically for new Catholics and non-Catholics looking to understand this ancient Christian tradition.
For more from Mike check out Cedar House, an online Catholic marketplace where you can find his book and much, much more.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
184: The Weird and Wonderful Roots of Christmas Traditions (w/ Dr. Michael Foley)
01:06:07
In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Michael Foley, renown author, professor of theology, and one of the best storytellers out there to explain some of the incredibly weird and terribly wonderful Christian roots of our favourite Christmas traditions.
Dr. Foley unpacks the dating of Christmas, the roots of Santa Claus, the incredibly weird world of "Mutant Christmas Saints," and much, much more as we sit down for a glass of egg nog and stir up some Christmas cheer.
Listen, enjoy, and impress your family around the Christmas table with the most incredibly strange facts about the origin of the Christmas traditions we know and love. I guarantee you you'll learn something new – and have a ton of fun listening!
To find more from Dr. Foley check out his website. And find his latest book "Why We Kiss Under the Mistletoe" from Regency Press and everywhere books are found.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
185: Remaining Catholic in College and Digging Deeper (w/ Patrick Callahan)
01:12:42
In this episode, I'm joined by Patrick Callahan, Director of the Newman Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. We talk about the Catholic experience on college campuses and dig into some of this wisdom Patrick's gleaned over years of working with Catholics on campus.
We chat about how Catholics often come to college (inoculated against learning more about the Catholic faith), how to meet them and engage them, how relationships trump programs, and how introducing Catholics to a mindset of wonder, curiosity, and the great books can help to draw them into a deeper, more meaningful Catholic faith in those crucial college years.
It's an incredible conversation.
For more from Patrick and the Newman Institute check out their website.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
186: So You Want to Be a Reverent Catholic? (w/ Keith from Grassroot Catholic)
01:07:33
In this episode, I'm joined by the show's most requested guest Keith from Grassroot Catholic. Keith has a popular Instagram and YouTube channel where he unpacks beautiful, sometimes forgotten practices from the Catholic faith, encourages reverence, and shares awesome insights as someone trying to earnestly live the Catholic life and pursuit Christ.
Keith is an awesome guy – of course he is, he's a Keith – and this is a wonderful conversation about how we can be more reverent as Catholic even when those around us don't seem to get it. We tackle the Mass, the Eucharist, Adoration, Confession, guitars, bad worship songs from the 90's, and that time I heard about a water gun fight during a Baptism.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
In this episode, I'm joined by one of my favourite people to talk to Erick Ybarra. Erick is a former Reformed Baptist who became Anglican in his search for an authoritative, apostolic Church but didn't stop there. After carefully examining Catholic vs. Orthodox claims Erick eventually became Catholic – although continued his long and exhaustive search of Scriptures and Church History to be able to fully defend his decision. Erick's search, and his extensive research into the papacy, is recorded in his new book The Papacy: Revisiting the Debate Between Catholics and Orthodox.
Erick joins us this week to unpack the history of the papacy from Scripture and throughout Church history; tackling subjects like development of the papacy, papal infallibility, objections to Catholic claims, and more.
To read more from Erick check out his popular blog and check out some of his other amazing books, too.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
188: Pitfalls for New Catholic Converts (w/ Keith Nester)
01:09:34
In this episode, I'm joined by my good friend Keith Nester to talk about some of the pitfalls new Catholic converts may experience on their journey. Keith is a former Protestant pastor (with 20+ years in ministry), a Catholic convert himself, the author of some fantastic books, and the host of a popular YouTube channel – and he knows a thing or two about this topic!
We talk about bad liturgy, bringing kids to Mass, a loss of programs, events, and a sense of community we once had in our Evangelicals churches, sermons and homilies, music in the Mass – and much, much more. This episode is all about being guide for those looking into the Church – a kind of peek into what you may encounter – what we encountered – that wasn't always exactly what we expected.
It's an honest, earnest conversation about how, sometimes, our expectations weren't exactly met – and how maybe those expectations weren't the best anyway. Plus much more.
For more from Keith please check out our extensive back catalogue – he's appeared may times – and find him online on his website and YouTube channel. Also, check out the Rosary Crew where Keith and his community pray the rosary every single day (for over 1,000 days and counting). Not bad for a Protestant pastor.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
189: A Methodist Theologian's Remarkable Catholic Conversion (w/ Dr. Justus Hunter)
01:30:17
In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Justus Hunter, a Methodist seminary professor, church historian, and theologian to unpack his family's remarkable story of Catholic conversion. From an "all in for Jesus" faith background, Justus and his wife, both devout and deeply connected Christians, began to find themselves attracted to the Catholic faith and, following an incredible journey eventually became Catholic.
Justus spins a fantastic tale this week full of ups and downs, miracles, incredible insights, and a healthy dose of Holy Spirit connections to explain what drew his wife, himself, and their family out of a faith tradition they loved into Catholicism – a decision which could've easily cost Justus his job, their livelihood, and their faith support network.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
190: Finding Freedom and Healing in Catholicism (w/ Dr. Matthew Breuninger)
01:07:38
In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Matthew Breuninger, clinical psychologist and associate professor of Psychology at Franciscan University of Steubenville to talk about finding freedom from our wounds in Christ and the Catholic Church. We talk about the healing power of the sacraments, how to begin letting go of what we put in the way of true healing and freedom and, practically, how we can get out of the way and let God do His thing.
This was such a fun and joyful conversation and I really hope you enjoy it!
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
191: The Mind Blowing Miracles of Lourdes (w/ Marlene Watkins)
01:19:07
In this episode, I'm joined by the Marlene Watkins, founder of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospitality North American Volunteers, to talk about Lourdes: the apparitions of the Virgin Mary to a poor French peasant girl, the miracles that followed, and, incredibly, the mind-blowing miracles that science and medicine cannot prove which are still happening today!
This episode is truly one of my favourites. Marlene shares her experience with leading over 200 pilgrimages, bringing thousands of pilgrims to this incredible holy site, and some of the amazing miracles experienced there.
On my own personal journey into Catholicism, miracles surrounding the Virgin Mary left me confused. After all, if Mary was just a simple girl, just a means for Jesus to be born on Earth, then how could she possibly "perform miracles"? It never made sense to me as an Evangelical. Stories like these, of incredible miracles as a result of the prayers of Mary, shook my faith!
If that's you, on the journey, maybe they'll shake yours too!
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Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
192: Making the Mass Meaningful for Our Kids (w/ Heidi Witte)
01:11:31
In this episode, I'm joined Heidi Witte, aka Miss Heidi, from Children's Liturgy of the Word, to talk about just about everything to do with raising our kids Catholic.
For this listener-requested topic, we tackle bringing kids to Mass, passing on the faith, creating a domestic church within our homes, celebrating the liturgical calendar and feast days, praying as a family, and a whole bunch of other incredible insights, ideas, and tools for not only making the Mass meaningful but for helping us to raise our kids Catholic.
Heidi is an educator, a mom, a speaker, and an bonafide expert on making the Catholic faith intelligible and meaningful for children. She has a lot to share.
For more from Heidi check out her Linktree. And, for a huge list of resources Heidi has generously compiled for our listeners click here.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.
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Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
193: Saying Yes to Catholicism (w/ David Patterson)
01:08:29
In this episode, I'm joined by David Patterson from Yes Catholic to talk about his own incredible journey out of, and then back into, the Catholic faith – thanks to some amazing miracles, plenty of grace, and some incredible moments of divine providence!
Then we dig into what it means to say "Yes" to Christ and His Church, the beauty of being Catholic, the Eucharist, confession, and so many incredible stories of grace that David has encountered in his life and the stories he's heard.
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To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
010: The Shroud of Turin – Everything You Need to Know! (w/ Dr. Cheryl White)
00:43:51
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast, I'm joined by Dr. Cheryl White, a historian with 30 years of experience studying the incredible Shroud of Turin – the supposed burial cloth of Jesus!
Dr. White unpacks the incredible history and origins of the Shroud, it's seemingly miraculous qualities, and the unbelievable amount of scientific research which has gone into making the Shroud the "most studied object in history." We also discuss the impact of the Shroud on our Christian faith.
This was such an intriguing interview and, as Dr. White says, the more you learn about the Shroud of Turin the deeper you'll be drawn into its mystery.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
This podcast is 100% listener supported. For more information about sponsoring the show, keeping this podcast going, and helping me to continue to deliver quality content please visit the Patreon page. All of your support is welcomed, even $1/mo helps.
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
194: A Crash Course on Catholic Parishes (w/ Shannon Wimp Schmidt)
01:11:39
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Shannon Wimp Schmidt, Parish Vitality Coordinator for the Archdiocese of Chicago, to talk about the Catholic parish. What exactly should we expect from a Catholic parish? How does it compare to an Evangelical church? How can we get more involved? What if nothing is happening in our parish – is it OK to go somewhere else?
These questions, and many more, are answered this week as Shannon joins me for an honest, sometimes spicy, chat about what's going on at the grassroots level in the Catholic Church.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
195: My Husband Was an Anglican Priest – Then We Became Catholic! (w/ Lauren Bacon)
01:12:56
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Lauren Bacon. Lauren is an "expected Catholic convert" and the wife of John Bacon, a former Anglican priest, and a previous guest on this show. John's own story featuring exorcisms, a friendship with Dr. David Anders, miracles, and the Early Church – and, this week, we hear it from his spouse's perspective!
Lauren joins us to tell her own unique conversion story and walks us through what it was like to meet someone destined for ministry, ordained an Anglican priest, only to have God take their relationship with Himself and with one another in a completely different direction. It's a story about faithfulness, trusting God, and thirsting after the Truth!
With lots of twists, turns, and miracles along the way. It's a great conversation.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
011: How (Not) to Become a Catholic (w/ Dr. James Tonkowich)
01:05:23
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast, I'm joined by Dr. James Tonkowich, popular commentator on religion in the public square and a convert to Catholicism to share his essay, "How to Not Become Catholic in 9 Easy Steps."
In aplum and charity, Dr. Tonkowich unpacks his own journey as a Presbyterian pastor into the Catholic Church and shares 9 "rules" to follow if you want to avoid his fate:
Assume that all Catholics are idiots
Get all your information about the Catholic faith second hand
Avoid being "Deep in History"
Do not read the Church Fathers
Affirm the "Great Tradition" but don't ask what's included
If you're Evangelical–ignore the sin of schism
If you're a Mainline Protestant–assume the schism is someone else's fault
Believe the Catholic Church and the Bible don't mix
Keep insisting that Catholicism is a grace-free, works-based religion
Listen to Dr. Tonkowich share his rules on the podcast.
Visit Wyoming Catholic College for more information about their programs, including the incredible (and free!) online courses they're offering coming up.
Listen to Dr. Tonkowich on The After Dinner Scholar. A podcast featuring faculty, board members, advisors, and guests talking about their books and the ideas that make up with curriculum at Wyoming Catholic College.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
This podcast is 100% listener supported. For more information about sponsoring the show, keeping this podcast going, and helping me to continue to deliver quality content please visit the Patreon page. All of your support is welcomed, even $1/mo helps.
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
196: The African Roots of Catholicism (w/ Mike Aquilina)
00:53:15
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined once again by the incredible Mike Aquilina, church historian extraordinaire, to talk about the African roots of the Catholic Church.
Mike unpacks some of the interesting – and surprising – roots of things we take for granted in Catholic Christianity: the liturgy, the Latin language, some of our most important developments of doctrine and dogma and, of course, some of the most important thinkers in Early Christianity.
Mike has a great take on Church history, great insights, and great stories to well. I hope you enjoy it!
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
197: Searching for Christ's Church; Finding Catholicism (w/ Mike Sharp)
01:30:10
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Catholic convert Mike Sharp to tell the incredible conversion journey him and his wife experienced – culminating in their decision to join the Catholic Church!
Mike's journey touches on so many interesting points like the insufficiency of Sola Scriptura, the Early Church and apostolic succession, the liturgy, the Eucharist, confession, authority, and so much more. You name it, Mike wrestled with it, and his thoughtful, deeply spiritual engagement with all of these topics makes this one of the best conversion stories out there. Mike absolutely nails it and by the grace of God has come through this amazing experience with a great story to tell.
I think you're going to love it.
For more from Mike visit his website and check out his podcast, Sharpened Iron, everywhere you find podcasts.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
198: Why We Left Catholicism – and Why We Came Back (w/ The Catholic Brothers)
01:29:34
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, in one of the most enjoyable episodes to date, I'm joined by Daniel and Steven from The Catholic Brothers to talk about their journey out of and back into the Catholic faith.
Raised in a devout Catholic home, Daniel and Steven unpack exactly what drew them out of the Catholic faith and into Evangelical Christianity, then Anglicanism, and finally back into full communion with the Catholic Church.
It's an amazing story that touches on some of the beautiful experiences of Evangelical Christianity, the need for an authority structure in Anglicanism, and, eventually, the authentic witness of the Early Church Fathers for the truth of Catholic Christianity.
This episode is just jam-packed and Daniel and Steven are fantastic storytellers with an excellent story to tell.
For more from The Catholic Brothers check out their podcast (available everywhere) and their YouTube channel. The work is top-notch.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
199: Seeking After the Kingdom of God (w/ Matt Pana)
01:16:29
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by my friend – the guy who got me into podcasting in the first place! – Matt Pana to talk about the Kingdom of God.
Matt was raised Catholic in a Filipino-American household but drifted into Evangelical Christianity as a young adult. He came enthusiastically back into the practice of Catholicism after being exposed to Catholic apologists like Patrick Madrid and Scott Hahn and, today, joins me to share a bit about that journey and how the Catholic Church understands, and embodies, what Jesus describes as the "Kingdom of God."
For more from Matt, check out on social media @mattpana and check out Deep Cuts on the Array of Hope Network, a wonderful show he hosts on pop culture and Catholicism.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
200: Reasons to Doubt Sola Scriptura (w/ Jimmy Akin)
01:16:24
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, for our 200th episode, I'm joined by Catholic Answers Senior Apologist Jimmy Akin to share some of the reasons why the Protestant doctrine of Sola Scriptura is problematic – and what a reasonable alternative, in the Catholic Church, may be!
For me, as an Evangelical struggling with divisions over the interpretation of Scripture within my own faith communities, the very bedrock of my faith – the Bible as the sole, infallible rule of faith – became a real point of concern. Could this really be what Christ envisioned for his Church? Jimmy shares some of his concerns, answers some of mine, and explains why even the most innovative and modern formulations of Sola Scriptura, from the top Evangelical apologists, fail some pretty basic tests.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
201: Eucharistic Miracles, Marian Apparitions, and More... (w/ Michael O'Neill)
01:09:46
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by The Miracle Hunter, Michael O'Neill, to share some of his fantastic insights and stories from years of gathering, cataloging, and investigating miracles around the world.
Miracles, for me as an Evangelical Christian, were one of those things that challenged my paradigm – especially when it came to miracles involving the Eucharist, apparitions of Mary, and the prayers of the saints, things we didn't believe in as non-Catholic Christians.
This week, we dig deeply into some of these incredibly fascinating stories and Michael explains how the Catholic Church investigates miracles, how it declares some authentic, and what that means for believers everywhere.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
012: What Catholics Believe About Salvation (w/ Dr. Michael Barber)
00:52:43
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast, I'm joined by theologian and scripture scholar Dr. Michael P. Barber to talk about the Catholic view of salvation.
Dr. Barber's new book Salvation: What Every Catholic Should Know was an instant bestseller and it's no surprise. Dr. Barber talks passionately, enthusiastically, and with an intense clarity about how Catholics should understand their salvation – and how we often misunderstand it as well.
We tackle the idea that all of our works are underpinned by God's grace – they aren't "our works" at all – and Dr. Barber applies what I think is one of the best explanations of salvation using the illustration of infant baptism. You really need to listen to this podcast, right now!
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
This podcast is 100% listener supported. For more information about sponsoring the show, keeping this podcast going, and helping me to continue to deliver quality content please visit the Patreon page. Even $1 or $2 a month can go a long way to helping make this podcast sustainable.
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
202: Crappy Ways to Share the Faith (w/ Katie Prejean McGrady)
01:22:13
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by author, radio host, podcaster, and mother extraordinaire, the wonderful Katie Prejean McGrady, to talk about the ridiculous, terrible, and downright crappy ways Catholics can (and do) share the faith.
Katie is an incredible human being and puts herself out there, on the radio and social media, every single day. She's an evangelizer, authentic to the core, and not afraid to share what she's thinking; and this is a topic she's thought lots about. She shares some of her experiences, great stories, and awesome life lessons.
We talk about some of the awful interactions we've had online (and in person) and how to do BETTER when it comes to sharing our faith and being a Catholic, seeking after the Kingdom, on social media and in the pew.
For more from Katie check out her website – everything you need to know is there!
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
203: A Protestant Pastor, his Wife, and Their Catholic Journey (w/ Keith and Estelle Nester)
01:33:32
In this episode, I'm joined by my good friend Keith Nester and his wife Estelle to talk about their Catholic journey.
Keith and Estelle met as Keith was beginning his work as a Protestant pastor; work that would take up 22 years of life his. Estelle, raised Catholic but not practising, was happy to follow Keith into Evangelical Christianity, to get married, raise kids, and live and serve as a pastor's wife.
So, what was it like when Keith began feeling the tug towards Catholicism?
Their journey is an amazing one and their honesty and love for one another and our Lord just shines through this conversation.
For all spouses going through a conversion journey, or thinking about one, this is absolutely the best thing to listen to and I hope it encourages you greatly!
For more from Keith please check out our extensive back catalogue – he's appeared may times – and find him online on his website and YouTube channel. Also, check out the Rosary Crew where Keith and his community pray the rosary every single day (for over 1,000 days and counting). Not bad for a Protestant pastor.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
204: The Great Big Protestant Problem with Scripture (w/ Casey Chalk)
01:18:22
In this episode, I'm joined by Casey Chalk, a Catholic convert/revert and author of The Obscurity of Scripture, to talk about one of the great big problems with the bedrock of Protestantism and the interpretation of Scripture.
We're talking about the Protestant doctrine of the clarity of Scripture – the perspicuity of Scripture – or the idea that the Bible is so clear that any Christian can understand it for themselves. This idea, which Chalk argues is foundational to Protestant Christianity, is faulty at its core.
This is a fun episode; about as edgy and controversial as we get on this show but digging deeply into something that both Chalk, as a convert, and myself ran into in our search for how to understand the Bible. Chalk presents some compelling evidence that, we hope, will help Protestant's to evaluate their worldview, and take a second look at Catholicism.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
205: Why You Should Love Mary More, and How to do it! (w/ Fr. Daniel-Maria Klimek)
01:17:32
In this episode, I'm joined by Father Daniel-Maria Klimek, T.O.R. to talk about Mary. Father Klimek has a fantastic new book all about this subject and we dig in deeply. From topics like Mary's role as the New Ark of the Covenant, her power of the demonic realm, her prayers on our behalf, and exactly how and why we can – and should – grow more deeply in love with the Mother of Jesus, all in this fantastic episode.
If you're on the fence about Catholicism because of an "allergy" to idolatry, if Mary is the last objection standing in the way, or maybe even the first, this episode will help you answer some of the most challenging questions.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
206: If Catholicism Isn't True then Nothing Is - A Convert's Journey (w/ Lorelei Savaryn)
01:16:56
In this episode, I'm joined by author, educator, and Catholic convert Lorelei Savaryn to talk about her incredible journey out of Evangelical Christianity into the Catholic Church.
A passionate Evangelical, Lorelei and her husband began questioning the foundations of their faith when they encountered questions of "Once Saved, Always Saved," the example of the Early Church, and the beauty of the liturgy. These questions, and more, tugged at Lorelei's conscience and eventually moved her to declare that either Christ founded a Church which exists somewhere, or he didn't found a Church at all.
The rest is a great story, which Lorelei tells so well in this episode. I think you'll love it!
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
207: I Never Thought We'd Ever Become Catholic (w/ Karen Edmisten)
01:09:16
In this episode, I'm joined by the wonderful Karen Edmisten, author, Mom, and surprised Catholic convert, Karen joins me this week to tell her amazing story from atheism into the Catholic Church.
Raised without any religion at all Karen was surprised when she began to ask questions about the meaning of life – to encounter people who caused her to ask these kinds of questions by the way they lived – and ended up becoming Christian. To her surprise, she wasn't done yet, and Karen eventually made her way into the Catholic Church.
Her husband, a practical atheist, was as surprised as anyone but he came along for the journey and, eventually, converted to Catholicism as well.
Through struggles, challenges, incredible miracles, and wonderful stories along the way, Karen tells the tale of her amazing journey from atheism into Catholicism and how it's fundamentally changed her life, her husband's life, and the live of their family.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
208: New Catholics Raising Authentic Catholic Kids (w/ Olivia Spears)
01:08:57
In this episode, I'm joined by Olivia Spears, mother, educator, and curriculum creator behind the incredible Into the Deep catechetical series to talk about raising authentic Catholic kids.
This conversation, especially for new Catholic families just starting out, new converts, and those looking at the Catholic Church wondering where their family fits in, is filled with incredible insights, ideas, and advice from a seasoned Catholic parent. Olivia is a blast, so wise, and shares some incredible knowledge about how those just starting out in the Catholic faith can pass on the faith, their experience, and their joy.
This was a wonderful conversation that many of you have requested, and I hope it's widely enjoyed!
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
013: Is the Eucharist Just a Symbol? (w/ Steve Ray)
01:06:45
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast, I talk to Steve Ray, author, speaker, and Catholic evangelist about the Eucharist. Is it a sign and symbol like Protestants say that it is, or something more? What did the Early Church believe?
We unpack Steve's conversion story to find out how a Bible-believing Baptist of 30 years could ever become a Catholic–and the central role of the Eucharist and the Early Church in his conversion story.
For more from Steve, visit his website at catholicconvert.com where you can find his books, extensive articles and talks, and information about his video series and pilgrimages. Steve is very, very busy and never slows down. Check out everything he's up to and you won't be disappointed.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
This podcast is 100% listener supported. For more information about sponsoring the show, keeping this podcast going, and helping me to continue to deliver quality content please visit the Patreon page. Even $1 or $2 a month can go a long way to helping make this podcast sustainable.
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
209: The Mind-Blowing Catholic Vision for Marriage, Family, and Sexuality (w/ Renzo and Monica Ortega)
01:08:17
In this episode, I'm joined by Renzo and Monica Ortega, podcasters, ministry leaders, authors and the couple behind the apostolate Two Become Family. We're breaking down exactly what the Catholic Church believes and teaches about marriage, family, and sexuality – and it's an amazing conversation.
We tackle Natural Family Planning, contraception, the Catholic vision of marriage (and the sanctification of spouses), and much, much more. And I couldn't ask for a better couple to have this conversation with than Renzo and Monica; they're honest, earnest, and humble and have some fantastic insights on these topics.
If you're newly married, newly Catholic, or discerning a conversion, listen and learn exactly what Catholics believe about marriage, family, and sexuality.
For more from Renzo and Monica visit their website. You can find Pre-Cana with the Pope everywhere podcasts are found, and follow them on Instagram too.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
210: I Was Going to be an Anglican Priest, then I Became Catholic (w/ Leeanne Thomas)
01:23:45
In this episode, I'm joined by Leeanne Thomas to talk about her amazing and seemingly unlikely journey into the Catholic Church. Raised in a small Mennonite town in Northern Canada Leeanne journeyed through Charismatic Christianity, into a deep love for theology and the liturgy, and finally onto a pathway to ordination into the Anglican priesthood before deciding that she ultimately had to become Catholic.
Leeanne's journey is fascinating as she discovers her love for liturgical living while working on a degree at a charismatic Bible college, her calling to the priesthood, and her ultimate struggle with teaching authoritatively from a theological landscape, in Anglicanism, that seemed to accept all points of view.
Plus, her discovery of the Early Church, her realization of the importance of the Pope, and her conversations with her husband, Dr. Matthew Thomas, a guest of this show, all figure into her amazing story.
Be sure to check out the earlier appearances by her husband, and fellow convert, Dr. Matthew J. Thomas in our show archives.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.
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Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
211: This "On Fire" Baptist Couple Found Catholicism (w/ Casey and Erin Phillips)
01:33:46
In this episode, I'm joined by Casey and Erin Phillips from the Bapticatholic Podcast to talk about their journeys out of their fervent Baptist roots into full communion with the Catholic Church.
Strongly evangelical from the beginning of their journeys, Casey and Erin explain exactly what drew them to Catholicism – and it's an amazing story!
From miraculous experiences of beauty to asking the tough questions to converting in spite of being in the incredible minority of Catholics in their area, this is a story of grace, of Christ calling His own back to Himself, and of exactly why a Baptist couple, on fire for their faith, would ever consider becoming something as crazy as Catholic.
For more from Casey and Erin check out their podcast The BaptiCatholic Show everywhere podcasts are found. You can also visit their website and find them on YouTube where you should subscribe to their channel immediately.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
212: Evangelicals, Here's How to Look for a New Church! (w/ Rod Bennett)
01:20:38
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by my good friend, Catholic convert, historian, and author Rod Bennett to talk about how someone looking for a new church – especially our Evangelical friends – should go about it.
Rod, a fellow convert, has some incredible perspectives on this question and talks about church unity (and shares some incredible statistics), what the ancient church looked like (and agreed upon), and the perils of finding a "biblical" church when you're the one interpreting your own Bible. Plus, much, much more.
As always, Rod shares some brilliant takeaways that will make your head spin.
For more from Rod Bennett, check out his numerous previous appearances in the archives of the show including conversations about Catholic Witnesses to the Early Church (Episode 141) and Were the Early Christians Catholic? (Episode 089).
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests!
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
213: An Evangelical's Best Arguments for Catholicism (w/ Austin Suggs)
01:11:19
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by my very good friend Austin Suggs, to share his perspectives on some of the best arguments for Catholicism.
Austin is an Evangelical and the host of the extremely popular Gospel Simplicity YouTube channel where he's spoken with and learned from some of the best and brightest minds in Evangelical Christianity, Catholicism, and Eastern Orthodoxy. Austin shares what he's learned (so far) and which arguments for Catholicism he finds most compelling.
Austin is a wonderful friend and I hope this is a truly enjoyable episode to listen to!
For more from Austin check out his YouTube channel Gospel Simplicity and search our archives on your favourite podcast app to find his previous appearances, including "Why I'm Not Catholic," which was Episode 136.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests!
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
SPECIAL: St. Jerome and the Monepiscopate in the Early Church (w/ Suan Sonna)
01:18:54
In this special episode of The Cordial Catholic, I join my good friend Suan Sonna on his YouTube channel Intellectual Catholicism to share some of my research on St. Jerome and the monepiscopate.
The monepiscopate, or the monarchical episcopate, is the idea from the Early Church that one bishop was put in charge of a church, a city, or a diocese and that this is how Christian churches were governed. This is in opposition, to what some, especially Protestants, would argue which is that these churches were ruled by a plurality or collective of priests of bishops -- a more organic, haphazard arrangement.
In this conversation, I share work that I've done tracing out the views of St. Jerome, an Early Church Father, and how he understood the origin, existence, and mandate of the monepiscopate.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
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This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
214: How the Catholic Church Proves the Bible (w/ Gary Michuta)
01:09:33
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by my friend historian, researcher, apologist, and author Gary Michuta to talk about his latest masterpiece The Gospel Truth and how the Catholic Church helps to prove the veracity of our accounts of Jesus in the Gospels.
Gary, in typical fashion, approaches the question of the veracity of the Gospels like a dog with a bone. His research is deep, his conclusions are astounding, and his thesis -- that the Catholic Church provides necessary and important credibility to the Gospel accounts of Jesus -- is pretty incredible. You've never heard anything like this!
How does the Catholic Church prove the veracity of the Bible? Listen and you'll find out.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
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To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
215: Why the Eucharist is God's Greatest Gift to the Church (w/ Dr. Lawrence Feingold)
01:07:44
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined once again by one of the Catholic Church's leading theologians (and one of my favourite guests) Dr. Lawrence Feingold to talk about the Eucharist.
In this conversation, Dr. Feingold explains why, according to St. John Paul II, the Eucharist is the greatest gift God gave the Church; an enduring presence, closer even than what was experienced by the Apostles – and why this is so important!
If you're an Evangelical wondering what Catholics are talking about with the Eucharist or a Catholic looking to grow in your love for the Sacrament, this episode is sure to fire you up!
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter for my reflections on each episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests!
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
014: Protestant Reformation or Revolution? (w/ Steve Weidenkopf)
01:03:18
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast, I'm joined by Steve Weidenkopf, author and lecturer in History at the Christendom College Graduate School of Theology, to talk about the Protestant Reformation. Was it truly a reformation of the Christian Church or a revolution? Was the Catholic Church in need of reform? And what did the Reformers actually intend?
For more from Steve, visit his website and check out his videos, books, and blog articles. Steve's books are highly accessible and packed full of information based on primary source material.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
This podcast is 100% listener supported. For more information about sponsoring the show, keeping this podcast going, and helping me to continue to deliver quality content please visit the Patreon page. Even $1 or $2 a month can go a long way to helping make this podcast sustainable.
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
SPECIAL: When Catholic Keiths Take Over! (w/ Keith, Keith, and Keith)
01:17:25
In this special episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm happy to share a livestream I recorded with Keith from Grassroot Catholic and Keith Nester from Down to Earth Ministries. It was a chaotic mess but lots of fun and, I hope, worth listening to!
For more from Keith check out Grassroot Catholic on Instagram and YouTube. You can find out more about Keith Nester from his website or on YouTube.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter for my reflections on each episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests!
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
216: The Ancient, Biblical Roots of Catholicism (w/ Dr. John Bergsma)
01:02:59
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by my friend theologian, biblical scholar, and former Protestant pastor Dr. John Bergsma to talk about the roots of Catholicism which stretch back not only into the Old Testament with the Levitical Priesthood but the very beginning of the Old Testament itself in Genesis and the Garden of Eden.
Dr. Bergsma unpacks his own conversion to Catholicism which involved not only looking at how the Early Church understood Christ, his mission, and the nature of the Church, but digging right back into the Old Covenant priesthood to understand the template that God was establishing with the Jewish people – a template He would use to fulfill that covenant in Christ with the establishment of the Catholic Church.
This is an episode for the history books. If you want to understand the paradigm through which so many Catholic converts come to understand Christianity, this is a conversation you aren't going to want to miss.
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To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
217: The Most Frequently Asked Questions About Catholicism (w/ Robert LeBlanc)
01:21:15
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by my good friend Robert LeBlanc, co-host of the Pints and Pews Podcast, author, speaker, Catholic educator, and lay leader in his parish community to chat through some of the most frequently asked questions that we hear about Catholicism.
I asked listeners, viewers, and some discerning non-Catholic friends to send in their burning questions about Catholicism and, combined with questions that Robert and I get all the time as two guys practising the faith, we endeavour to answer some frequently asked questions about the Catholic faith.
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To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
218: How to have Meaningful Catholic Relationships (w/ Andrew and Sarah Swafford)
00:57:41
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Andrew and Sarah Swafford to talk about the idea of virtue and how to have meaningful Catholic relationships at all stages of life.
Dr. Andrew Swafford and his wife Sarah are the authors of Gift and Grit: How Herotic Virtue Can Change Your Life and Relationships our from Ascension Press. Sarah, the founder of Emotional Virtue Ministries is a sought after speaker on these kinds of topics and is joined by her husband Dr. Andrew Swafford, theology professor at Benedictine College, to discuss their perspectives, as a couple, on these topics.
We tackle chastity, emotional virtue, dating, friendships, and much, much more from a Catholic perspective and through the lens of the work of St. John Paul II.
An amazing conversation for listeners at any stage of life!
For everything that Andrew and Sarah are up to follow them on their website.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
219: The Eucharist Really is Jesus (w/ Joe Heschmeyer)
01:05:21
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Catholic Answers apologist extraordinaire Joe Heschmeyer to talk about Jesus and the Eucharist.
Together we unpack the history of the Eucharist from the Early Church to today, what we mean by "real presence" and how the very first Christians understood this, the Eucharist in light of the Old and New Covenants and much, much more. It's a banger of an episode, filled with all of the best Eucharistic apologetics like you'd expect from a guest as high calibre as my friend Joe Heschmeyer.
I hope you enjoy!
For more from Joe check out latest book The Eucharist Really Is Jesus from Catholic Answers Press and visit his website Shameless Popery where you can find links to all the amazing things Joe is doing – including his podcast Shameless Popery, available everywhere podcasts can be found.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
015: Typology and the Catholic Church in the Old Testament (w/ Dr. Lawrence Feingold)
00:59:50
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic Podcast, I'm joined by the one and only Dr. Lawrence Feingold philosopher, theologian, and author to talk about typology and how the Catholic Church was prefigured in the Old Testament.
This is absolutely an episode for the record books as Dr. Feingold takes us deep into biblical typology which begins, we learn, through looking at how Jesus Himself used the Old Testament. Through unpacking the biblical texts and with a deep knowledge of Scripture, Dr. Feingold shows how Israel was, indeed, a clear prefiguring of the one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church – and not merely an invisible collection of Christians.
For more on Dr. Feingold visit The Association of Hebrew Catholics where you can find a series of free lectures on this topic. And, make sure to add his books to your "to do" list; they're fantastic and highly recommended.
For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
This podcast is 100% listener supported. For more information about sponsoring the show, keeping this podcast going, and helping me to continue to deliver quality content please visit the Patreon page. Even $1 or $2 a month can go a long way to helping make this podcast sustainable.
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
220: A Convert's Guide to Catholic Marriage (w/ Rachel Bulman)
01:03:25
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by author, speaker, and star of the Word on Fire show, Rachel Bulman. Rachel joins me to talk about Catholic relationships, marriage, and how to understand and approach these from the perspective of the rich teachings of the Catholic Church, as understood through the lens of a convert to Catholicism.
There's so much in this wonderful conversation. We talk about our perspectives of dating, coming from the Evangelical Christian world, to the beauty of the sacramental view of matrimony in Catholicism, how to live out that daily call to spousal love, how to understand the vocation to marriage, celibacy, the priesthood and religious life, and how to impart these values to our children.
Such a wonderful conversation and I truly hope you take something valuable away from this rich discussion.
To find out more about Rachel you can visit her website. Check out her book, Becoming Wife, available everywhere books are sold. And check out Meet the Bulman's from Word on Fire.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
221: These Saints Became Catholic Because of the Eucharist (w/ Sister Mary Ann Fatula)
01:06:15
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by the remarkable Sister Mary Ann Fatula, O.P. to talk about non-Catholic Christians who were converted, and then became saints, through the witness of the Eucharist and the Real Presence of Christ at Mass.
These are some incredible stories of how real people encountered the theology of the Catholic Church – the belief that Jesus is really present at Mass – and decided to convert to Catholicism. We'll talk about the Eucharist in the Early Church Fathers, the witness of other Catholics and their reverence towards the Eucharist, and the power of the tenderness of the Eucharist in Adoration. And while these stories are like a lot of the conversion stories we feature on this podcast, these converts, like St. Elizabeth Seton and St. John Henry Newman, are now canonized saints!
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To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
222: The Incredible Case for the Shroud of Turin (w/ Dr. Gilbert Lavoie, MD)
01:03:41
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Dr. Gilbert Lavoie, MD to talk about the incredible Shroud of Turin. Dr. Lavoie, a medical doctor who has undertaken a more than 40 year forensic study of the Shroud, shares his incredible insights on what is supposedly the burial cloth of Jesus, venerated by Christians for 2,000 years.
Dr. Lavoie digs deeply into the evidence – what we know and what we don't know – and explains why everything you've heard about why the Shroud is inauthentic is probably wrong. And the evidence for why we should believe in its authenticity. It's amazing.
Dr. Lavoie is an absolute expert on this subject and shares not only insights from science, history, and archeology, but from the biblical evidence as well. And preaches a mean homily on the resurrected Christ while he's at it! What an incredible episode.
To find Dr. Lavoie's book look for The Shroud of Jesus from Sophia Institute Press or on Amazon.
Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
223: In Conversation with an Exorcism Expert (w/ Adam Blai)
01:07:26
In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Adam Blai, an expert on exorcism out of the Diocese of Pittsburg. Adam has witnessed hundreds of solemn exorcisms, written several fine books on the topic, and helps to train exorcists in his official capacity in his diocese and also all over the world.
In this episode we talk about the nuts and bolts of exorcism, the stages and signs, why God allows demons to possess, oppress, and infiltrate the lives of humans, and what sorts of things we need to pay attention to and be wary of as Catholic Christians a world increasingly interested in the paranormal.
Adam is a great and holy man with amazing insight into the paranormal and the world of spiritual warfare. I hope you enjoy this episode!
Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.
To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.
Please consider financially supporting this show!
For more information visit the Patreon page. All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.
If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.
Thank you to those already supporting the show!
This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William.
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